Giro champion Carapaz joins loaded Team Ineos

September 2, 2019

FILE - In this Sunday, June 2, 2019 file photo, Ecuador's Richard Carapaz celebrates after winning the Giro D'Italia cycling race, in Verona, Italy. Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz has signed a three-year deal to join Tour de France winners Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal at Team Ineos. With his Giro victory in June, The 26-year-old Carapaz became the first rider from Ecuador to win a Grand Tour. (Alessandro Di Meo/ANSA via AP)

FILE - In this Sunday, June 2, 2019 file photo, Ecuador's Richard Carapaz celebrates after winning the Giro D'Italia cycling race, in Verona, Italy. Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz has signed a three-year deal to join Tour de France winners Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal at Team Ineos. With his Giro victory in June, The 26-year-old Carapaz became the first rider from Ecuador to win a Grand Tour. (Alessandro Di Meo/ANSA via AP)

LONDON (AP) — Giro d’Italia champion Richard Carapaz has signed a three-year deal to join Tour de France winners Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, and Egan Bernal at Team Ineos.

With his Giro victory in June, the 26-year-old Carapaz became the first rider from Ecuador to win a Grand Tour.

Carapaz says, “I feel this is a great opportunity for me to continue my development and growth as a rider, working with a team that continues to go from strength to strength, year after year.”

Ineos team principal Dave Brailsford says, “We have been long-time admirers of (Carapaz’s) talents as a bike rider and have followed his development closely over a number of years, as we have always marked him out as a potential member of our team.”